Ruling Gods
A major facet of life in Itaedia is the religious war. Few mortals dare to take part in these wars firsthand, at least not willingly, but that level of devotion is indeed not unheard of. There are several strongholds for the old gods, as they are known, where the gods themselves spend most of their time actively ruling their worshippers and waging battle against such gods as would overrun their territory. In politics, this commonly will halt any local wars between petty lords, and so the gods are always welcome by kings. This is why wars between gods are referred to as a Bloody Peace or, a Red Pax. The Arctic Rocks Most Forst Giant raids are curtailed by the eternal wrestling of Brother Wind with Father Sky. While this is good for other inhabitants of that part of the world, it leaves a lot of the major political and religious decisions up to Mother Cold, who is in mourning and does not leave her caves, and Brother Ice, who speaks seldom. This has put much of the happenings up north at a standstill. Mother Cold The one who began all things, Mother Cold lies in her caves, in mourning of her daughter. Father Sky The consort of Mother Cold, he is locked in constant battle with his son, Brother Wind, over the fate of Sister Breath. Brother Wind The youngest of the two brothers, he is locked in constant battle with his father, angry at the fate of his sister. He is the protector of the Frost Giants, but is too preoccupied to give them much comfort. Brother Ice The oldest of Mother Cold's children, he is known also as the One of Patience, and he has given the Yeti his special protection. Sister Breath The youngest of Mother Cold's children, she is what lies within all living things, and is the only source of warmth in the world. She feels pain and sadness, and will die every time someone dies, and is born every time someone takes its first breath. Zavak The Twelve Beautiful, as they are known, are among the most petty of the gods. They rarely have left their teritory to wage war on other gods, as they are so tied in up in warring with each other. The Goddesses of the Twelve Beautiful Having very specific spheres of influence, the goddesses of the Twelve Beautiful stay exactly where they are needed, rarely moving into other cirlces unless they themselves care to. Jesinda Primarily concerned with the well-being of newborn livestock and very young children, Jessinda wears a flowing gown of pinkish brown, and ties up her hair with leather strips died ten thousand colors. She is very mistrustful of adults and farmers, and they often have to humble themselves before her and lay out proof as to why they are deserving of stong children and livestock, lest she make them sicken and die so she may have them. Helda Having taken the farmers under her wing and protection, Helda causes crops to grow and beggs her husband, Mortaugh, to cause soft rains to fall. She wears flowing gowns of green, and braids pink and white flower buds into her hair. Avis Also called the Seeing One, Avis is the goddess of rabbits, deer, and foxes, and she is in constant strife with Hedrin. The source of knowledge for all prophets, oracles and wise men, she lives in the deepest valleys in Zavak, where she coucils those who can catch her. She takes the form of a white-and-gold deer, then a white-and-gold fox, then a white-and-gold fawn. Finally, she becomes a woman dressed in black, and you may council with her. Mefelda The goddess of the dead, Mefelda wears a white gown and braids dried flowers into her hair. The Riders of the Twelve Beautiful While the goddesses stay in one place, the riders are known to be constantly on the move. When they cross paths, or ride into the realm of a goddess who is not friendly with them, there is susally a scuffle. Amenor Mortaugh The husband of Helda, he is the rider of the rains, and creates thunder with his horses' hooves when he is full of vigor. The lightning is the flashing of his eyes, and he will cast his angry gaze upon those who displease him, burning their homes and property. Hedrin The rider of the eagles, Hedrin is at constant odds with Avis, whom he loves and tries to capture. However, he is full of caprice and is often so overcome by the joy of flying that he forgets his chase. The ballad of Hedrin and Avis is a famous opera from Porchiis about them. Vastr Tane Nemor Ulbect Gadrik The Black Forest The largest of all the religious territories, the Black Forest has two main gods who are in constant war, and one minor diety, who mediates between them. Oberon The Lord of the Sacred Hunt and the Son of Graev'tch, Oberon is constantly at odds with his wife, Titania. Ruling from a mountain known as Itaedia's Antlers, he actively takes a role in dealing out justice and protecting his worshippers. Most commonly involved in matters dealing with sacred places and in disputes among the werekin---which often disrupt the lives of his subjects and defile sacred groves---Oberon rarely leaves the heart of the Black Forest, where there are the fewest mortals, save werekin and one town, Brynnewald. Titania Also known as the Frost Queen and the One Who is Unsatisfied, Titania is the wife of Oberon. She rules the Fey Court, which she keeps in the ring given to her by Oberon through the Brownie King, and she is known for her temper, as well as her fondness for children, whom she hopes to protect from sickness and death by making into fairies. Cross her, however, and you rish being transformed into a banshee. The Brownie King Known by the locals as The Kind Child-Snatcher, and the Pretty Thief, King Mateo was named the Brownie King by Oberon rather suddenly at the end of the 5th Century. While the locals assumed it was in reaction to the Horrors, as they are called, when Titania ravaged the towns, many researchers and specialists are skeptical that Oberon would show interest in the deliemma without some outside council. The Golden Plains Though primarily the territory of Mother Gruuummmmuuuugggg and her bull GuuuuuuuurrrrrnNNNun, the Golden Plains are also home to numerous other minor dieties and entities. The White Herd The first children of Mother, they follow the Bull across the sky and protect their mother's heart in its aspect as the sun. The Blue Herd The second children of Mother, they are the rivers of the Golden Plains. The Bulls of the Roarering The sacred River Roarering, which runs stright through the Golden Plains, is the resting place of the greatest of the Yoonda bulls, and they stampede with GuuuuuuuurrrrrnNNNun to announce the changing of the seasons, and great events. GROOONNNN The wild mother of the lost calf, she is the tornado. Hhhhhhhnnnnn The spirit of loss, water that is not there, and delirium. He lives always just out of reach in the hottest places of stone and delights in tantalizing mortals with visions that are not real. The Spirit of No Name There is a spirit that slowly consumes the color of bones after they've been stripped of flesh by carrion birds and ants. It is a spirit without a name for the Yoonda are too afraid to name it. It often is said to afflict the elderly, chewing their bones from the inside out. It often becomes mischeivous and places its jaw in the ground and snaps the legs of those who do not watch their step. The Northern Afrik Plains The Five Mothers each have thier own brood of minor gods who contest the rights of the others, leading to The Aukland Desert 972 different Father Spirits roam the purple desert of The Red Tunnels The Skridae gods are, for the most part, benevolent to their worshippers. However, the Red Tunnels are the site of several Category:Religion Category:Politics Category:Anthropology